Rail anchor



June 22, 1943. c GAlLOR 2,322,742

RAIL ANCHOR Filed Nov. 14, 1941 n 4 i H [Ill-3' l V E N TO R 69597595490? ATTORNEY Patented June 22, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILANCHOR Chester Francis Gailor, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Evelyn P. Gailor,administratrix of said Chester Francis Gailor, deceased Claims.

The present invention relates to rail anchors or anti-creepers forrailroads and has for its object refinements in one piece anchorconstruction designed to produce a materially improved anchor adapted tooffer, to a substantial degree, greater and more effective resistance torail creeping for the weight of material employed than has been attainedby devices as heretofore made.

A further important object of the present improvements is to combine ina simple and strong design of a one piece anchor, structural andfunctional characteristics which contribute materially to moresuccessfully meeting the stringent requirements of advanced anchorconstruction. as considered with relation to the maintenance conditions.These requirements comprehend such factors as facility of application ofthe anchor to the rail; security against displacement of the anchor wheninstalled; operating effectiveness of the device in its anti-creepingfunctions and rigid economy in manufacture and in the weight of materialemployed.

In addition to successfully meeting the structural requirements asaforesaid, the improved anchor of my present invention is of a form toobtain functional advantages offering material improvement over thedevices as heretofore employed for the purpose. In accordance therewith,the improved anchor is designed in the first instance to effectivelyprovide for an initial resilient grip on the rail upon its applicationthereto. As a result of :this a constant frictional grip is maintainedat all times to insure against displacement of the anchor from itsoperative position; secondly, to further tighten upon being driven intooperating position in engagement with the tie thus to be fully effectiveas initially installed to offer immediate resistance to rail creeping.Thirdly, it is further operative to progressively tighten the grip ofthe anchor upon the rail under the load pressures or creeping action ofthe rail so as to augment the grip and insure effective resistance tocreeping as the conditions require.

Important features constributing to my improved design of anchor includea body portion arranged to extend transversely beneath the rail baseflange and formed with a slight curvature and having upwardly extendedjaws at its end portions to engage the vertical edges of the rail baseflange with inward shoulders or lug portions overlying the flange outerends; the body being further formed intermediate of its ends withresilient, offset bearing members positioned for tie engagement andoperative from such engagement to further flex the body portion toincrease the gripping action .on the rail.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the presentimprovement will be more fully understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing wherein like reference characters are applied tothe corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of my improved anchor applied to the railand taken endwise of the latter.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a partial plan view with the end portion of the anchor shownin horizontal section.

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation showing a desirable modified form ofanchor as applied to the rail and taken endwise thereof.

Fig. .5 is a plan view thereof.

In the approved embodiment of the features of my invention as shown inFigs. 1 to 3, the rail is indicated at r to which is applied theimproved anchor formed in one piece from fiat sheet stock to comprisethe body I having oppositely positioned, vertically enlarged endportions 22 connected by cross-bar tension member 3*. The ends haveupwardly extended rail engaging jaw portions l-.4 terminating ininwardly directed hook or shoulder portions 55 adapted to overly therail base flange outer edge portions. The anchor body is formed with anormal slight curvature from end to end thereof and as applied to therail is vertically positioned as shown with the tension .connectionmember 3 immediately underlying the rail base flange, the jaw portionsengaging the vertical base flange edges and the shoulders overlying theflange edge portions as shown. Inwardly extending from the end portions.2', at the lower portions thereof, the anchor is provided with inwardlyprojected and offset bearing members or flanges 6-.6 positioned for tieengagement.

The inwardly directed rail engaging edge surfaces of the jaw portions ,4are bevelled or angularly formed .as shown at 8 to have reduced area orline contact with the rail so as to increase or intensify the grippingaction thereon. Also, the curvature and relative dimensions of theanchor are such that the normal distance between the rail engaging edgesof the jaws is slightly less than the width of the rail base so thatupon assembling of the anchor on the rail it will have a resilientsecuring grip thereon. Accordingly, the application of the anchor to therail is effected by flexing of the anchor body to reduce the curvaturesuficient to allow springing of the shoulders over the rail flange. Thisis facilitated by the forming of one of the jaw engaging surfaces, atthe right hand side as shown, with a vertical curvature; this end beingfirst hooked over the rail base edge and maintaining a rockingengagementas the opposite end is sprung over the base flange as isreadily understood.

The anchor, thus applied by means of a suitable tool, is disposed withthe offset bearing members 6 directed toward a co-operating tie asindicated at t and the anchor is then forcibly driven against the tie,the flexible bearing members by the engagement with'the tie causingflexing of the anchor body to increase the frictional grip on the rail.Thereby the anchor, as initially and fully installed, is immediatelyeffective to resist creeping action of the rail.

The pressures of rail creeping, as is apparent, acting through theresilient bearing members will progressively tighten the resilient gripof the anchor on the rail by the arcuate deflection of the anchor body,particularly of the connecting portion 3. This arcing, tending toshorten the distance between the jaws 4, is more effectively produced bythe particular arrangement of the bearing members as shown connectingwith the end portions of the anchor in vertical planes spaced inward ofthe jaw engagement. The bearing members are curved inwardly and towardthe tie with the free end portions thereof reversely turned intoparallel relation to the'tie surface. This provides for large areaengagement with the tie and avoidance of objectionable tie cutting.

While the foregoing refers to the preferred embodiment of the featuresof my invention, it'

will be understood that varied modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims. As illustrative thereof, I have shown in Figs. 4 and 5 adesirable modified structure wherein the connecting body portion 3' isformed beneath the resilient bearing flanges 66; the latter immediatelyunderlying the rail base. The jaw portions are likewise modified to haverail engagement through laterally curved engaging lips or inwardshoulder extensions l2 providing convex inner engaging surfaces forrestricted or vertical line contact with the rail positioned in offsetrelation to the anchor body and at the side opposite to the tie bearingmembers 6'.

The improved rail anchor as is to be noted is designed so as toresiliently grip the rail as initially applied thereto therebyto besecurely retained in position on the rail at all times, is capable ofbeing spring energized when forced home against the tie so as to beimmediately and fully effective in resisting creeping, progressivelyincreases its grip under tie pressure and moreover is of a designwherein the resilience occurs throughout substantially the full lengthof the anchor thereby to avoid concentration of stresses and resultingweakness.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1.1A rail anchor of the character described comprising a body havingopposite end portions and a transverse connecting tension memberunderlying the rail base, the end portions being formed with upwardlyextended jaw portions to engage the rail base vertical edges and havingshoulders overlying the rail base flange and offset, resilient bearingflanges extending inwardly from the inner sides of the end portions andpositioned to engage the tie and operative to effect flexing of the bodyunder pressures of tie engagement to increase the gripping pressureresponsive thereto.

2. A rail anchor of the character described comprising a body havingopposite end portions and a transverse connecting member underlying therail base, the end portions being formed with upwardly extended jawportions to engage the rail base vertical edges and having shouldersoverlying the rail base flange and offset, resilient bearing flangesextending inwardly from the inner sides of the end portions andpositioned to engage the tie and said body portion having a horizontalcurvature convex to the side opposite the bearing flanges.

3. A rail anchor of the character described comprising a body havingopposite end portions and a transverse connecting member underlying therail base, the end portions being formed with upwardly extended jawportions to engage the rail base vertical edges and having shouldersoverlying the rail base flange and offset, resilient bearing flangesextending inwardly from the inner sides of the end portions andpositioned to engage the tie and said body having a horizontal curvatureconvex to the side opposite the bearing flanges and said jaws having anormal spacing slightly less than the width of the rail flange.

4. A rail anchor of the character. described comprising a body portionhaving opposite end portions and a transverse connecting memberunderlying the rail base, the end portions being formed with upwardlyextended jaw portions to engage the rail base vertical edges and havingshoulders overlying the rail base flange offset, resilient bearingflanges extending inwardly of the end portions and positioned to engagethe tie and operative to effect flexing 'of the body under pressures oftie engagement to .increase the gripping pressure,'said body portionhaving a normal curvature convex to the side opposite from the bearingflanges and said jaws bein formed for line contact with the rail.

5. A rail anchor of the character described comprising a horizontallycurved body portion having opposite end portions and a transverseconnecting portion underlying the rail base, the end portions beingformed with upwardly extended jaw portions to engage the rail base vertical edges and having shoulders overlying the rail base flange, offsetresilient bearing flanges extending inwardly from the inner sides of theend portions and positioned to engage the" tie and said bearing flangeshaving free inner end portions substantially parallel to the tie surfaceengaged therebyfi- V Y CHESTER. FRANCIS GAILOR.

